Hidden Rain Village, high tower conference room.
Outside, the sounds of the victory banquet roared like thunder, but within this room, the atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy.
Dozens of Uchiha elites who had fought on the front lines stared unblinkingly at the young man seated at the head of the table.
"As I just said."
Tobirama idly turned the wine cup in his hand. His voice was calm, yet it struck like a thunderclap.
"Moreover, I've already secured sufficient benefits for the Uchiha from the Third Hokage."
He raised a finger.
"First: an independent Anbu unit, directly under my command."
A second finger.
"Second: the Military Police Force's authority has been expanded. You may act first and report later."
A third.
"Third: Root will be disbanded, and all of its resources will be merged into the Uchiha."
He paused briefly, then raised his fourth finger.
"Fourth—and most important of all."
The corners of Tobirama's mouth lifted slightly as his gaze swept across everyone present.
"After the war, I will serve as Acting Hokage."
Boom!
The moment those words fell, the Uchiha present erupted.
Acting Hokage?!
For an instant, everyone felt as if lightning had struck their minds.
The Hokage's seat—had the Uchiha finally reached it?!
"Long live Lord Tobirama!!"
The cheers were frenzied, even more fanatical than when news of a nation's collapse had arrived earlier.
For decades, the Uchiha had been marginalized and suppressed. The Hokage's throne had been an unattainable dream—yet now, the man before them had made it reality.
"Enough."
Tobirama raised his hand slightly.
The cheers stopped at once.
Every gaze turned respectful, reverent, and obedient.
Tobirama turned his head toward the man seated silently in the corner—the former clan leader.
"Tomiyama."
His voice was soft, but it carried unquestionable authority.
"The clan elders have already convened a meeting within the village."
"Under the Great Elder's leadership, everyone reached a unanimous conclusion."
"The Uchiha, as we are now, require a stronger and more decisive leader—someone who can truly lead everyone forward."
He leaned in slightly. The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan spun faintly, crimson light piercing straight into Tomiyama's heart.
"They've nominated me as the new clan head."
Tobirama looked at him calmly.
"What do you think?"
"Or rather—"
His fingers tapped lightly against the tabletop, each sound pounding against Tomiyama's chest.
"Do you wish to object?"
Tomiyama's body stiffened.
Cold sweat slid down his temple and dripped onto the table.
The pressure was overwhelming.
Not only from Tobirama's unfathomable ocular power, but also from the dozens of gazes fixed upon him.
He looked around.
Those subordinates and clansmen who once treated him with reverence now watched him with indifference—or even impatience.
As if saying: Old man, step aside already. Don't hold us back from rising with Lord Tobirama.
The hearts of the Uchiha had already aligned with that young man.
Tomiyama opened his mouth, wanting to speak of seniority, of tradition, of rules—to reprimand Tobirama.
But the words lodged in his throat, and he swallowed them back down.
Object?
With what right?
In battle, he wasn't worth even a single finger of Tobirama's.
In merit, Tobirama had crushed nations, ended the war, captured three Kage, and elevated the Uchiha to unprecedented heights.
If he dared to refuse, he wouldn't even need Tobirama to act—these fanatical clansmen would tear him apart themselves.
"…Hah."
Tomiyama let out a long, weary sigh. In that instant, he seemed to age ten years.
He slowly rose to his feet, untied the sword at his waist—the symbol of the clan head's authority—and placed it on the table before Tobirama with both hands.
"I… have no objections."
His voice was hoarse, tinged with bitterness, yet also with the relief of resignation.
"Tobirama… no—Clan Head."
"You are stronger than I am, and braver than I ever was."
"Entrusting the Uchiha to you… may truly be the right choice."
"I, Uchiha Tomiyama, voluntarily step aside for the worthy. From this day forward, I will follow the Clan Head without reservation."
He bowed deeply.
That bow marked the end of an era for the Uchiha Clan.
"Good!"
"Greetings to the Clan Head!"
The surrounding clansmen erupted once more. No one pitied Tomiyama; all were intoxicated by the joy of the clan's ascent.
Tobirama picked up the sword and casually tossed it to Konan beside him.
"Very good."
"Tomiyama, you made a wise choice."
"From now on, serve as an elder in peace. Follow me, and you won't lack benefits."
The meeting concluded.
The crowd dispersed, leaving only lingering warmth and the scent of alcohol behind.
After Tobirama departed—
In a dark corner, the ground suddenly split open.
A massive pitcher-plant shape emerged, revealing a half-black, half-white figure.
Black Zetsu.
"Damn it… damn it!!"
His hoarse voice trembled with fury.
"What kind of monster is this?!"
"Twelve years old… Mangekyō… Wood Release… even Sage power…"
"He's made everyone follow him willingly—this is no ordinary prodigy!"
Black Zetsu was on the verge of madness.
Everything was spiraling out of control.
According to the plan, the Uchiha should have been suppressed and ostracized by Konoha, giving rise to an Indra reincarnate steeped in hatred—someone who would awaken the Rinnegan and resurrect Mother.
But now?
This Uchiha Tobirama had taken the entire clan straight to the top.
Not only was the clan intact, they were on the verge of becoming Hokage?!
And he wanted to lead everyone to prosperity together?!
Without hatred, without despair—who would awaken the Rinnegan? Who would cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi?!
Too many variables… far too many variables…
Black Zetsu paced anxiously beneath the ground.
"No… this must be reported to Lord Madara."
"If we don't act, Mother's resurrection could be delayed indefinitely!"
"I won't allow Mother's legacy to be wasted—I must resurrect her!"
His resolve hardened to fanaticism.
---
Land of Grass, an underground cavern.
Dark. Damp. Lit only by faint candlelight.
The towering Gedo Statue loomed in the shadows, radiating desolation.
An old man, thin as a skeleton and riddled with tubes, sat upon a stone throne.
Though his body was on the verge of collapse, the domineering presence that once looked down upon the world still burned within his single eye.
Uchiha Madara.
"You're saying…"
His aged, gravelly voice echoed through the cavern.
"That brat called Uchiha Tobirama awakened the Mangekyō, mastered Hashirama's Wood Release, and defeated multiple nations on his own?"
"Yes! Lord Madara!"
Black Zetsu rose from the ground, embellishing as he spoke.
"His strength is unfathomable! Hanzō was killed in seconds, Tailed Beasts were captured like pets, and even Chiyo was struck down with a single blow!"
"Lord Madara… he may have already surpassed you and Hashirama at your peak!"
Madara fell silent.
His lone eye narrowed as his fingers tapped the armrest rhythmically.
"Surpassed me?"
Had anyone else said that, they'd have been killed instantly.
But hearing Black Zetsu's account…
A Susanoo clad in a Buddha avatar—that was devastation only he and Hashirama together could unleash.
And a twelve-year-old did it alone?
"…Interesting."
After a long pause, Madara chuckled softly.
"I never imagined that, at the end of my life, the Uchiha would produce such a perfect descendant."
"This power… this talent…"
"If it's him, he might make a fine pawn."
Black Zetsu panicked.
"Lord Madara! That brat is overflowing with ambition! He's already clan head—and wants to be Hokage! How could he possibly listen to us?!"
"Heh. Youthful arrogance is only natural."
Madara's eye gleamed with calculation.
"As long as he is an Uchiha, he cannot escape fate."
"Those who chase power will eventually yearn for true peace."
"Besides, he only possesses the Mangekyō—not the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Reckless use, even with Hashirama cells, will lead to blindness."
"He's likely already losing his sight."
"Black Zetsu."
Madara gave his order.
"Do not confront him directly."
"Find a way… to lure him into the underground chamber at the Valley of the End."
"Let him see the stone tablet."
"As long as he reads what I left behind—and believes that the Infinite Tsukuyomi is the only way to save the world…"
"With his power and intellect, he'll realize that Hokage and authority are nothing but childish games."
"Only the creation of a perfect world is a god's true pursuit."
Black Zetsu's eyes lit up.
"Of course—the stone tablet!"
The scripture left behind by the Sage of Six Paths… and altered by him.
The stronger Tobirama was, the more valuable he'd become once he believed it.
"Understood, Lord Madara!"
Black Zetsu laughed darkly.
"I'll guide him there."
"Geniuses are always the most arrogant—and the easiest to draw in with the 'truth' of the world."
---
Hidden Rain Village, night.
Bonfires blazed across the vast square.
Wine flowed freely, meat was devoured in great chunks.
Konoha ninja and surrendered Rain ninja mingled together, drinking and laughing without restraint.
Tobirama sat at the highest seat.
His left arm rested around a slightly tipsy Tsunade, while Konan sat obediently at his right, peeling an orange.
Yet his attention wasn't on indulgence.
His gaze swept across the crowd below.
Hyūga Hiashi. Nara Shikaku. Aburame Shino…
Every major clan head of Konoha was present.
Politics has never been just about killing.
Tobirama reflected.
Strength alone inspires fear. To become Hokage—to truly control Konoha—support is indispensable.
"Everyone."
Tobirama rose, lifting his cup.
His voice echoed throughout the square.
"We've won this battle."
"But I also understand the difficulties faced by the great clans."